Following on from my earlier post on this topic, I’ve decided to continue my research by analysing fantasy films using the conventions that I already established.

The first film that I will be doing some analysis on is The Golden Compass, a 2007 fantasy adventure film based on the 1995 book Northern Lights, the first novel in Philip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials. The film follows Lyra Belacqua, an orphan being raised at Jordan College in Oxford, set in an alternate Earth, where a powerful church called the Magisterium strictly controls the populace’s beliefs and teachings. Every person in this world has an animal companion called a dæmon, in which part of their inner spirit exists. Lyra’s dæmon is called Pan and her uncle, Lord Asriel, a noted explorer and scholar, has been absent seeking the elusive Dust, a cosmic particle that the Magisterium forbids to be mentioned. Through a series of events, Lyra finds out that children are being kidnapped by an unknown group called the Gobblers, supported by the Magisterium. She joins a tribe of seafarers on a trip to the far North, the land of the armoured polar bears, in search of the missing children. Despite the film’s disappointing results and criticisms, I still believe that is a fun high fantasy movie, with lot’s of magic and wonder.

 

 

I took a look at the characters and how they each fit a certain role in fantasy. First and foremost, we have the hero, our beloved protagonist Lyra and her companion Pan. Lyra is what would call a typical young hero, who is brave, loyal and friendly, but doesn’t seem to have many friends, mischievous, smart and most obviously curious. We hardly ever see a hero who isn’t curious, as they wouldn’t discover any secrets and consequently wouldn’t fall into many adventures (Lyra discovers information about the Dust by hiding in a wardrobe during a presentation by her uncle). And of course, like every hero, she is part of a prophecy that deems her the one destined to save the world, aided by the fact that only she can decipher the code of the mysterious compass.

 

 

Next, we have Lord Asriel, Lyra’s uncle, but who I would say best fits the father figure/mentor role in the fantasy world (later on Lyra finds out he is actually her father). He acts not for selfish gain but to achieve a world which, in his eyes, is the best possible world for humanity and throughout the films,  although he seems rather distant, we understand that he cares greatly for both his niece and his goal to find and use the Dust. He is wise, dependable and has an intimidating presence, both physically and intellectually, which I’d say fits the mentor role well.

 

 

Next, these are two helpers which I think have interesting characteristics. The first is Lee Scoresby, a skilled “aeronaut” balloonist from the country of Texas. He is sharp with a gun, though generally nonviolent, and is intelligent, and a bit of a mercenary, though he displays consistent ethics. During the film, Lee advises Lyra to hire him and an armoured bear and aids her in her quest greatly in doing so, as well as helping her travel with his balloon.  Serafina Pekkala is another helper; as the queen of witches, her army helps overturn the battle against  Tartar mercenaries and their wolf dæmons at the end of the films, as well as giving Lyra valuable clues and information to help her understand what the Magisterium was truly doing. Although she isn’t seen a lot throughout the film, I think that she ups the fantasy factor massively by being a witch, as well as an important helper in Lyra’s story.

 

 

 

Last but not least out of my collection, there’s the villain and main antagonist in the Golden Compass – Marisa Coulter (Or Mrs Coulter). A long-time associate of The Church and a high ranking official in the Magisterium, Mrscharacter is portrayed as cold, cruel, vicious and powerful,  Coulter was head of the General Oblation Board, an association that performed harmful experiments on children in The Church’s interest of eliminating Dust. Though physically beautiful with a charming and persuasive demeanour, her character is portrayed as cold, cruel, vicious and powerful, a woman who is feared by colleagues, opponents, and subjects of her experiments due to her appetite for cruelty, and pleasure in the torture and killing of her victims. Although later on it is revealed that she is actually Lyra’s mother and it explains her ‘soft spot’ for her, she pursues only what is in her best interests and continually opposes Lyra’s beliefs throughout the movie, actively aiding and managing the destruction of everything her daughter is fighting for.

 

 

Exploring the settings in the film, I felt rather disappointed to find that there was not a lot of content to go off of. With so many characters and plot points to cover, we hardly get to see any of the seemingly elaborate futuristic London, and whilst there are hints and scenes throughout the movie, I think the environments are lacking severely in the fantasy aspect. There are some merits to be given though – the mix of modernistic and steampunk styles aren’t seen a lot in film and tv, and it certainly fits the aesthetic of the film and characters, at least from the few wide shots we manage to see. I like the return of the blimps, the sleek design of the buildings and skyscrapers, as well as the colour palette of blue, gold and red, which really transport you into this new world that seems more established in its higher class economic districts. I also like how the audience is amazed at first, positive towards the lifestyle of this alternate London thanks to its classy, unusual outward appearance, but later learns of the lies and hierarchy that controls everything from the inside, showing that actually, places that look worse later on in the film, are more well off and free. It puts forward the idea of a chaotic world, were appearances, very much like Maris Coulter’s, are far from the truth of what lies beneath, which in some ways reflects our Earth as well.

 

 

 

The Northern ports where Lyra meets the armoured bear Iorek Byrnison is another more developed setting that lets us peek into the less well faring places of this alternate world. Unfortunately, it hardly has any fantasy conventions and projects more western-style architecture than the sorts of settings you’d see in fantasy. I think that one way they could have improved the scenes in this part of the world is by taking advantage of the location, a.k.a the North, where there are a lot of mountains and snow. We could have seen this village built into the side of a mountain, with buildings jutting out like icicles and still retaining that Western style. Or perhaps, going more into depth about what sorts of people live in such a place and how they manage their lives; could Lyra have visited a cosy bookshop with hovering books or ladders and machinery that work with magic cogs and levers? Could the people there have adapted to the cold and use the snow in wondrous ways to enhance and improve their lives, through transport, entertainment and business? It is my belief that there was a missed opportunity here to amp up the fantasy and make the world more interesting, but the focus is once again drawn to the characters, such as when Lyra first meets Iorek. My one criticism of that is that there isn’t really enough time for us to get attached to the characters and understand their relationships, for example, to me, Iorek’s decision to trust Lyra seemed rather rushed, and without his story thrown in there, the film would essentially be the same, except with less fantasy.

 

 

The Good and the Bad

 

Overall, I think this film was a bit of a failure. Aside from the obvious issues with religion, the film was trying to take a very complex story and the world from a book series, and condense it into a two and a half hour movie, which was a set up for downfall, to begin with. Producers need to understand that even with good VFX and worldbuilding, the audience needs time to grow attached to the characters and understand their relationships with one another. Unfortunately, The Golden Compass didn’t even do those two things exactly right. There weren’t a lot of opportunities to showcase interesting VFX, apart from the animals and there was an extreme lack of worldbuilding. As a result, the story falls flat, and the most we can do is ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at the novel environments and ideas like armoured bears (stolen from the books). What I do like is the feel/aesthetic of the movie. The adventure that Lyra embarks on has a lot of aspects to it, and I think the whole concept would be much better stretched out in a tv series (which it now has in the His Dark Materials adaptation).

 

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A film which I think fits into and accumulates more fantasy conventions is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the 2016 spin-off and prequel to the Harry Potter film series. The film is set in 1926 and follows a British young activist wizard and “magizoologist” Newton “Newt” Scamander who arrives in New York City carrying a  mysterious leather suitcase that shelters diverse and magical creatures. Newt and his accomplices get tangled up in a series of complications that lead to several magical creatures escaping from the suitcase into the streets of NYC, The Director of Magical Security, Percival Graves, accusing Newt of conspiring with the infamous dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald and targeting him, as the heroes try to work through their problem and keep the magical world hidden from the non-magical (muggles) in the city, all against the backdrop of an invisible, devastating, and utterly unpredictable menace that is wreaking havoc on 5th Avenue.

 

 

This movie is packed with fantasy conventions due to the idea of a second world within our own, full of magic. The witches and wizards that we see throughout the movie use magic to perform a series of tasks, from ‘obliterating’ (removing the memories) of the muggles, fighting each other and the creatures in the film, to making baked goods fly, changing clothing and disguising themselves. At every turn, there is something new for the audience to be amazed at and in between the mystery and action, and the magical spontaneity, we are truly absorbed in the world of magic and get to experience it outside of a school setting, where there are new rules and limits.

 

 

 

Of course, the biggest fantasy norm that it hits is in the name – fantastical creatures! Thanks to Newt’s suitcase, we get to peek into the world of magical creatures that exist outside the knowledge of the muggles, and although we don’t have many of the classics (dragon, troll, goblin, pixie etc.), we see a lot of creative and imaginative animals that diverge from the traditional fantasy route and fit the aesthetic and feel of the movie and world much better. I love how each animal has a unique set of traits that are wonderous and mystical and make each encounter much more interesting and different. There are a variety of shapes, colours and forms, making each creature distinct. We also get a sense of their personality, through their behaviour and actions, something which I feel that you don’t see in older, classic fantasy films, where there is a greater focus on the characters and any beasts or critters are as a whole overly aggressive or meek. They are hunted or caught, usually just devices to add to a character or scene. A misconception which I feel is all too common is the idea that giving an animal individuality automatically makes it a pet. In Fantastic Beasts, this is proven incorrect, as almost all of the creatures feel like animals, but aren’t violent for no reason; they run away when they have the chance, use their abilities when threatened, get lured by bait and don’t trust humans easily despite being cared for by one. And all the while we have Newt who understands this, having studied their ways and learned their defence mechanisms, communication, preferred environments and more, returns them back to their homes safely.

 

 

 

 

Settings in this film are surprisingly diverse despite the fact that it is set in the concrete jungle of New York. Because of the creatures escaping, our heroes have to go to great lengths to get them back and stay hidden from the no-maj people of NY, which includes going to various places throughout the city, allowing for variety in the scenes and shot types, and some magnificent views.

 

 

We get to see New York through the eyes of both Wizards and Witches, and a human who has recently discovered the magical world, allowing for an entirely new perspective and experience of an otherwise normal place in the world. The first magical establishment we see is the  Magical Congress of the United States (MACUSA), who arrest Newt for breaking magical law. Newt and Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein, a demoted Auror enter the building and provide us with a glimpse into how the magical world mingles with the non-magical in terms of politics, from the very beginning.

 

 

 

To show that this is not what the muggles see, we get a shot of a man walking out from the building before the shot of Newt and Tina walking into what looks to be an entirely different place. As they enter, we get a 360 shot of the big clock in the centre, spinning and zooming away to show that the magical world is in critical condition of being revealed to the muggles, as well as creating a starting point to jump into showcasing MACUSA. The music abruptly changes to a light, magical melody that makes everything feel apart from the New York we were in a second ago, and as Tina leads Newt, we get to see everything from his perspective (for the first time, since Tina wouldn’t notice everything as she works there). There seems to be no ceiling due to the sky being seen at the top, birds are flying around, statues and brooms move by themselves and house elves are seen doing various activities like cleaning wands, all vastly different and impossible in a normal workplace, which is astounding and fascinating to see. The general colour palette is gold, black and white, which I think is an excellent choice, both befitting of New York and the time period and at the same time, it feels more sorcerous and remarkable. Gold also makes me think of power and wealth, which gives me the impression that MACUSA is more powerful than the governments of normal human beings and they are panicking because that control is slipping.

Another interesting fantasy setting which I feel is never explored in movies or shows is the underground pub/bar that Newt and Tina went to for information, called the Blind Pig (based on an actual restaurant). I really liked the aesthetic and atmosphere created, and the fugitives and outlaws that gathered there, as well as high profile people involved in illegal business, added to the deep, smoky tone. Numerous fantastical beings are seen throughout the scene, and there is a singer in a glitzy dress, performing with sparkling white smoke, which really enhanced the underground bar feel. In my opinion, this part of the film is definitely unconventional and was really interesting to watch; it felt much more realistic and serious, even with the ‘giggle water’ that makes Jacob laugh, thanks to the colours, textures and props – a lot of black and grey, stone, smoke and cocktails.

 

 

 

My absolute favourite part of Fantastic Beasts, however, is no doubt when Newt and Jacob go into the suitcase and we get to see all of the magical creatures and their habitats. Of course, it comes as a shock at how much can actually fit inside and how much space there is even though there obviously has to be more than what is seen on the outside since creatures escaped at the start of the film. This scene is beautiful and pleasantly surprising because there are so many different landscapes/environments to provide a place for all of the creatures and it contrasts greatly from the rest of the film, which being set in 1920’s New York is quite dull/bleary in terms of colour and texture, whereas with the suitcase, we see forests, snow landscapes, water, trees of different shapes and sizes, nests, sandy dunes and rocks, all in an array of different colours. Newt leads us through the different habitats and feeds, moves and cares for the creatures as he goes along. There are always animals moving or flying about, and it makes the scene dynamic, lively and mesmerising. As for fantasy, it packs a punch when we get to see all of the fantastic creatures and magical environments packed into one, and there are some really unique areas, like the room/corner Jacob wonders into with doors/curtains that lead to entirely different places in the world.

 

 

 

Themes

 

I decided to explore some of the themes in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them to see if we have any overlap with typical fantasy themes we see in the genre. Whilst seeing some more conventions would be nice, I was also hoping to discover some more uncommon themes pop up, to match with the visual aspects and designs of the film.

• Wizardry and the occult
• Extinction and conservation of animals
• War and terrorism
• Domestic violence and abuse
• Mankind vs nature
• Secrecy
• Family and love
• Good vs Evil

In conclusion, my hopes were met, as there are some very common themes present which are used in fantasy quite a lot, like good versus evil and mankind versus nature, but there are also numerous ideas which are hardly seen in fantasy. The extinction and conservation of animals is one which I don’t recall seeing in any other fantasy film, or perhaps if somewhat presented in a show, it would be very minimal as fantasy focuses a lot on characters and the supernatural. The blend of heavy topics, comedy and fantasy make this film really unique and interesting, although it too has a lot of problems, for one having a lack of diversity and representation in a lot of areas (the two main couples in the movie are straight and involve the main characters, who are all white).

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The final piece of fantasy media I will be talking through is a teaser trailer because I wanted to include some cinematography as a part of my analysis. Since the style of my show is dark fantasy and will deal with some darker, heavier themes, I wanted to choose something that fits that style and allows me to take examples from and use in my own work. I immediately thought of the successful American fantasy drama Game of Thrones. I believe that the way GOT uses fantasy is a little similar to the mood/tone I’m aiming for (of course considering the target audience, it will be much less sexual) and I decided to browse through the numerous trailers and see if there was something interesting I could talk about. The season 7 official teaser: Sigil, immediately jumped out at me and I was heavily inspired for my concept whilst watching.

 

 

The trailer begins with a close-up of the material that the animals are made up of, some sort of metal or rock. It is slowly moving as a low grumbling is heard growing louder, which creates suspense and instantly sets the tone as ominous and dark. As the narration begins we see three dragon heads in a roaring position whilst the narration talks of a mad king who earned his name. We instantly link the king to the dragons, which is further reinforced by the next shot which zooms in on the dragon heads whilst the king yells “kill them all”. Right off the bat, we get the impression that GOT is serious, deadly and dark, from the insinuation that kings are as powerful as ferocious beasts such as dragons, and they can do whatever they want, commanding death like the powerful firey kings themselves. The dragons put us in the mood for fantasy and showcase that the mad king is a mighty, merciless leader. A sudden fade to black and we then see a moving statue of a deer being eaten by the dragons, with a dramatic music change. The narration is harsh and confident, with the word “kill” appearing yet again. As the woman says “everyone who isn’t us is an enemy”, we get a shot of a lion eating the deer this time, which implies that weaker members of power also prey on the week, enforcing what the woman said to be true. Whilst the lion is not as powerful as the dragons, it also hunts and kills, which suggests that everyone has their own interests in mind and do not care for the ones below them. The constant movement reminds us of time but also makes the trailer and the scenes more gripping and powerful, putting the viewers on edge but also exciting them.

The imagery continues to link with what is narrated – “bring me his head”, another gruesome, ruthless phrase is said as the head of a wolf or bear moves across the screen. The themes of death and power are reinforced and the fact that the animals shown are never alone, but always surrounded by the others (even animals present in the background) implies that nobody is safe, and everybody seems to be preying on everybody else. We hear “we are ironborn, we take what is ours” proclaimed along with another close-up shot of the grey/black material, this time moving faster in what appears to be snakes. It makes us think of evil and malice, stirring up fear through the religious context whilst also furthering the idea that everyone is greedy, selfish and power-hungry, and do not care if their actions cause others pain and death. The snake-like coils are then seen wrapping around the animals, as the tempo increases and the music gets louder and stronger. More narration is heard to match the animals, who are all in pain, being eaten and strangled as the snakes wrap tighter. As the camera moves over to a bear with his mouth wide open, a scream that is almost too long is heard, not high or low pitched, but painful and uncomfortable, making the audience imagine torture. Again, matching what is said “you don’t think I’d let you marry that beast” we see the claw of a bear as the thorn/snake coils wrap around it, to mirror the word “beast”. Yet, the fact that the beast is seen in pain and is overtaken by the moving coils, shows that even the strong have weaknesses and can be killed and that nature, although it looks unnatural and inhumane, is something to be feared. We begin to link that fact that each animal is in fact the sigil for the different kingdoms and they are all a part of this game of death, being killed and killing, lying, taking and commanding. Perhaps the only colour we get in the entire teaser is a flash of green fire as one of the sigils, the one that is producing the thorns that entrap all of the animals is caught on fire. This time, what is seen seems to be the opposite of what is heard, a man proclaiming someone as the protector, most likely someone of that kingdom, yet the symbol of the kingdom catches fire. It makes the audience question if it was a mistake, and if that protector is actually the downfall of the kingdom. On the other hand, the fire seems to come out from the sigil, perhaps to suggest that it actually grew even more powerful and is using the fire (power/will/courage/strength/anger) to attack the others. Using green, which has associations of envy and jealousy, also frequently used for evil characters, reinforces that ominous, deathly atmosphere, but is also in some ways the climax, a quick flare that shocks the audience, especially with the colour that contrasts with the black and grey of the rest of what is seen so far.

The final part of the teaser was when Daenerys says that all of the kingdoms are simply “spokes on a wheel” that spins “on and on”, in the end “crushing those on the ground”. As she says this, all of the statues spin faster and we get to see them fully together before we settle on the dragon that starts crumbling. Then, all of the statues begin to crumble after she has said “crushing those on the ground”, which is clearly symbolic of how the spinning, which is the game for the top/the throne, will be the end of them all, and will not benefit anyone in the end. Even the dragon, which is stronger and more ferocious than the other animals, eventually ends up on the ground like the rest of them, showing that no matter how much power you amass, death is the same for everyone and the throne will make no difference to that. The final shot, which is the remains of the statues seen in the dirt in a spiral from a birds-eye view. The perspective contrasts with the other parts of the teaser which are low or mid angles, to make the audience feel like they are beneath or alongside certain kingdoms. I also believe that the circular shape of the remains reflects that they are all equal and none is above the other, and also that death is the same for them all. After all of the pointless fighting, they share the same fate and cannot escape it. We see the spiral of crumbled statues zoom out of the pupil of a piercing blue eye. I’m assuming someone important in the series has blue eyes and it shows them looking over the end of the great war, almost like a god. The eye could represent the general public, or the citizens in the villages of the kingdoms, it could represent nature watching humanity destroy themselves, or it could be someone within the series that is so powerful, that they are above all of the kingdoms and will watch their end. Either way, it excites the audience because of the idea put forth that there is a greater force than the game.